A man who axed to death his neighbour’s dog after saying he would take it for a “last walk” has been found guilty of causing it unnecessary suffering.

Kevin Dixon, 35, of Castle Avenue, Newsome, had pleaded not guilty to causing the Akita-type dog, Tempa, unnecessary suffering on the night of May 16, 2014.

But he was convicted by magistrates after further evidence was presented in a case brought by the animal charity, the RSPCA.

At an earlier hearing Dixon claimed the dog had not suffered when he attacked it and the assault had been all over and done with “from first blow to last in 10 seconds.”

The trial last month heard that the dog’s owner, Amanda Hamer, had been unable to walk the dog after suffering a severe whiplash injury in the early part of 2014 and the defendant had offered to walk it.

The court heard the dog had a history of biting people and Dixon had decided to kill the dog after it bit a woman, Stacy Mudd, following a party at Ms Hamer’s home.

He said he was worried it might bite one of the children sleeping there overnight.

But after hearing closing speeches for the prosecution and defence, the bench at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court decided the dog had suffered unnecessary suffering when Dixon took an axe to it in the pitch dark at an area close to Newsome Road South.

He said he had hit it with an axe seven times.

Tempa, the Akita-type dog, which was axed to death by Kevin Dixon

The case was adjourned for sentence on April 8.

Chairman, Sue Collins, said: “This has been quite a long and drawn out case and has been quite difficult for the parties at times.